Proposed Closure of UQ's Museum Studies Programs Raises Alarm
The only tertiary qualifications offered in this specialised field in Queensland are under threat.
The University of Queensland (UQ) has notified students, industry representatives, and alumni that it is proposing to phase out the Master of Museum Studies and Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies from 2025.
Museums and Galleries Queensland report that the state is home to a vibrant network of around 400 public museums and galleries, which operate with approximately 1,600 paid staff and over 15,000 volunteers. Museums and galleries are integral parts of Australia’s arts and cultural ecosystem, contributing to a $111.7 billion industry that accounts for 6.5% of GDP.
The University of Queensland’s Master of Museum Studies and Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies programs are incredibly important in training the next generation of gallery, museum, archives, and library (GLAM) professionals and addressing skills shortages in our sector. Should the University’s proposal succeed, it will have a profound impact on Queensland’s arts and cultural heritage ecology and future workforce.
'If this phase-out proceeds, the GLAM sector institutions will face an employment crisis,' said NAVA Executive Director Penelope Benton. 'Incoming staff will be limited to those trained in an online setting from an open university, which limits opportunities to develop local sector based networks as part of the student experience. If students must travel interstate for museum studies training, they are likely to build networks there and stay. Phasing out the postgraduate Museum Studies Program at UQ will drastically affect the Queensland arts sector in the years to come.'
'NAVA strongly urges UQ to reconsider this decision and explore alternative solutions to maintain and grow the Museum Studies programs.'
Consequences
- Sector Capacity and Workforce Impact: The proposal will significantly impact Queensland’s sector capacity and workforce, especially in the lead-up to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the accompanying Cultural Olympiad (2028-2032).
- Skills Shortage: This decision will exacerbate the shortage of qualified First Nations industry professionals.
- University Reputation: The proposal threatens to damage UQ’s reputation, credibility, and industry relationships.
- State Reputation: Queensland’s standing as a leader in arts and culture will be compromised.
- Policy Contradiction: The proposal is counterintuitive to the State Government’s Creative Together 2020-2030: a 10-Year Road Map for arts, culture and creativity in Queensland and the National Cultural Policy — Revive: a place for every story, a story for every place.
- Student Impact: The current cohort of undergraduate and postgraduate students will be adversely affected.
- Loss of Opportunities: The next generation of Queensland-grown GLAM sector workers will lose valuable learning and networking opportunities. Students may be forced to relocate interstate or overseas to pursue an education in museum studies and may not return.
Take Action
The University of Queensland’s proposal to phase out the Master of Museum Studies and Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies from 2025 has been made without sector consultation.
Please sign this petition and add your comments to send a clear message to The University of Queensland that phasing out the Master of Museum Studies and Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies programs would be a great loss for the university, its staff, students, alumni, the sector, and the wider community, particularly when the need and support still exist.
Petition submissions are due by 6 June 2024 to ensure the sector can provide your comments to The University of Queensland Vice Chancellor, Dean, and Academic Board on 7 June 2024, when they next meet.
You are also strongly encouraged to write directly to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Deborah Terry AC, to express your concerns at vc@uq.edu.au. Feel free to use NAVA's letter below as a starting point!
NAVA's letter
Professor Deborah Terry AC
Vice Chancellor
The University of Queensland
vc@uq.edu.au
Cc. Professor Heather Zwicker
Executive Dean
Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
execdean@hass.uq.edu.au
23 May 2024
Dear Professor Terry,
I am writing to express profound concern over The University of Queensland’s (UQ) proposal to phase out the Master of Museum Studies and Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies from 2025.
The National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA) is an independent membership organisation that brings together the many voices of the contemporary arts sector to improve the fundamental conditions of work and practice. We do this through advocacy, education and the Code of Practice for the Visual Arts, Craft and Design.
NAVA is staunchly committed to enhancing educational opportunities for visual artists and arts workers. Tertiary education is fundamental for arts workers to be well prepared to embark on and progress in their professional careers.
As Executive Director of NAVA, I have recently been appointed to the new Arts Strategic Workforce Advisory Committee (SWAG). Over two years, the group will provide advice and industry insights on workforce challenges and needs to Service and Creative Skills Australia
(SaCSA), a not-for-profit, industry-led Jobs and Skills Council representing the Arts, Personal Services, Retail, Tourism and Hospitality sectors. This is an Australian Government initiative to improve career pathways, skills development, employment opportunities and economic growth.
The proposed discontinuation of the Museum Studies programs is deeply troubling for several reasons. These programs are essential in preparing the next generation of gallery, museum, archives, and library (GLAM) professionals. Education and training in museum studies is pivotal in addressing the skills shortages within our sector and ensuring the vibrancy and sustainability of Queensland’s arts and cultural heritage.
Phasing out these programs will have far-reaching negative implications, not just for UQ, but for the entire Queensland arts ecosystem. The loss of locally trained museum professionals will exacerbate employment challenges within GLAM institutions, leading to a reliance on staff trained remotely or interstate. This shift will undermine the development of vital local networks and reduce the likelihood of graduates returning to Queensland to contribute to the state’s cultural infrastructure.
The impact on Queensland’s arts sector cannot be overstated. According to Museums and Galleries Queensland, the state hosts approximately 400 public museums and galleries, employing around 1,600 staff and supported by over 15,000 volunteers. These institutions are integral to Australia’s cultural fabric, contributing significantly to a $111.7 billion industry that represents 6.5% of the nation’s GDP.
The decision to close this area of study at UQ is counterintuitive to the State Government’s Creative Together 2020-2030: a 10-Year Road Map for arts, culture and creativity in Queensland as well as National Cultural Policy, Revive: a place for every story, a story for every place.
University art museums, including those at UQ, play a crucial role in Australia's cultural ecology. They provide dynamic platforms for local, regional, and national engagement with the arts. The elimination of the Museum Studies programs will weaken this role, diminishing UQ’s contribution to the arts and cultural sectors.
NAVA strongly urges UQ to reconsider this decision. The phasing out of these essential programs should not be seen as a solution to any financial or logistical challenges. Instead, we advocate for exploring creative and sustainable alternatives that will allow the continuation and growth of the Museum Studies programs.
Maintaining Museum Studies is not just about preserving academic offerings; it is about investing in the future of Queensland’s arts and cultural heritage. UQ must find a way to support these vital programs and ensure that the university remains a leader in arts education.
Thank you for your attention to this critical matter and I look forward to your positive response.
Sincerely,
Penelope Benton
Executive Director
In the media
University of Queensland to phase out Museum Studies by Victoria Gillespie in Honi Soit, 4 June
Students fight cuts to last museum courses in state by Liz Hobday in The North West Star, 4 June 2024
‘Really significant’: The UQ courses that will soon be history by Toby Crockford in The Courier Mail, 3 June
UQ’s decision to cut Museum Studies spells disaster by David Burton in Arts Hub, 29 May 2024
ID: Photo of the front gates of the university, a white shield and white text reads The University of Queensland Australia against a black tubular fence, underneath, black text on sandstone reads ST LUCIA CAMPUS. There are trees and clouds in the background.
The National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA) is a national organisation with staff who work across multiple states. The NAVA Board and artists whom we represent are based across hundreds of sovereign nations and unceded lands throughout the continent that has become colonially known as Australia. NAVA acknowledges the Traditional Owners, Custodians, and knowledge-holders of the unceded lands on which we live, learn, and work.
